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Duke  University  Libraries 


SPECIAL  REPORT 


OF    THE 


0arb  of  iublit  Wiaxhf 


TO  THE 


LEGISLATUBE 


OF    THE 


STATE    OF    LOUISIANA. 


BATON  ROUGE: 

J.     K .     TAYLOR,     STATE     PRINTER 

1861. 


Board  of  PtnUG  W  rks.      { 
Baton  Rouge,  La.,  Fkb.  21,  1861.  J 

Hon.   C.  H.  Morrison,  Speaker  House  of  Representatives: 

Sir — The    Board  of  Public  Works    respectfully    transmit    the  accom- 
panying Special  Report. 

Very  respectfully,  your  ob't  serv't, 

LEWIS  G.  DeRUSSY, 

Pres't  Board  Public  Works. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2011  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/specialreportofb01loui 


SPECIAL    REPORT 


To  the  Honorable  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives : 

The  Board  of  Public  Works  deem  it  their  duty  to  present  to  the  Legis' 
lature  a  brief  report,  embodying  their  recommendations  of  such  legisla- 
tive measures  as  they  consider  imperatively  called  for  by  the  requirements 
of  the  department  for  the  current  year. 

We  add,  in  as  few  words  as  possible,  such  remarks  as  seem  necessary 
for  explanations. 

Contingent  Fund  kor  Surveys. 

Salaries  of  rodmen,  chaimnen,  traveling  expenses,  adver- 
tising, office,  etc §20,000  00 

Salary  of  Commissioners 8,000  00 

Secretary    2,000  00 

Chief  and  Assistant  Engineers  11,000  00 

Draughtsmen , 1,800  00 

Captains  of  boats 2,400  00 

Wood 700  00 

Medicine,  clothing,  subsistence,  etc.,  for  negroes 2,000  00 

Contingencies 1,000  00 

One  dredge  boat  on  improved  plan 25,000  00 

Tackle,  etc.,  for  boats .' 2,000  00 

Second  District. 

For  drainage  in  parish  of  Vermillion  ;  see  Engineer's  report, 

page67 3,700  00 

For  canal  between  Verret  and  Chevreuil,  in  parish  of  La- 
fourche;  see  Engineer's  report,  page  90 15,614  40 

Third  District. 

To  Benjamin  Bay,  Contractor  for  work  on  Couchatta  Chute, 
for  completing  contract ;  see  Engineer's  report,  pages 
57  and  58 3,877  70 

To  complete  Red  River  levees,  right  bank,  parish  of  Ra- 
pides;  Bee  Engineer's  report,  page  58 , 2,500  00 


6 

Re-appropriating  unexpended  balance,  refunded  by  Oommis- 
■fooen^for  cutting  oat  falls  in  Red  River;  see  Engineer's 
report,  page  1"1  11,860  00 

Appropriation  to  pay  outstanding  warranto  to  Thomas 
Hunter,  as  per    report  of  Board,  January,   1*01 9,000  00 

To  complete  drainage  in  Bayoo  Pierre,  as  contemplated  by 

i      No.  214,  of  1860 10,000  00 

Re-appropriation  to  preserve  navigation  between  Red  and 
Mississippi  Rivers,  act  -02  of  1859 31, 881  03 

Fourth  l>\*tri<  t. 

To  Henry  Brigham,  of  Morehouse  parish,  La.,  oost  of  lcvce 
across  the  Crallion  Blonghs,  8,9 19  cubio  yards,  at  25J  eta. 

per  cubic  yard,  being  his  individual  expense  ;  see  En- 
gineer's report,  pages  77   and  7N 999  34 

Re-oonstrnct  levee  across  npperoutlet  on  Bayou  Bonne  [dee, 
parish  of  Morehouse,  Boo  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents,  per 
yard,  and  incidental  expenses,  etc  ;  set-  Engineer's  re- 
port, pages  77  and  78 WO  00 

Appropriation  to  levee  the  months  of  Hurricane,  Red  Mouth 
and  Muddy  Bayous,  in  Franklin  parish  ;  see  Engineer's 
report,  page  79 4,200  00 

The  Board  of  Public  Works  have  given  great  attention  to  the  report  of  the 
late  Chief  Engineer,  Col.  Duncan,  upon  a  work  of  improvement  by  which 
he  proposes  to  preserve  navigation  to  Red  River,  viz:  Separating  Red  and 
Atchafalaya  Rivers  entirely  from  the  Mississippi  by  dyke  across   Old 

River,  making  the  fust  two  one  continuous  stream,  returning  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi by  the  Plaquemine  Bayou,  which,  for  this  purpose,  is  proposed  to 
be  deepened,  and  converted  to  a  canal,  and  supplied  at  its  Mississippi 
junction  with  a  lock  of  suitable  size  to  pass  a  largest  class  steamer,  and 
do  not  concur  with  the  late  Chief  Engineer  in  recommending  the  adoption 
by  the  Legislature  of  such  a  work. 

The  Legislature  has  now  received  two  reports,  based  upon  the  most 
minute  surveys  and  examinations,  executed  in  all  the  details  upon  which 
propositions  of  ameliorations,  and  estimation  can  be  (bunded  ;  and  yet, 
notwithstanding  the  incalculable  importance  of  these  proposed  improve- 
ments to  the  commercial  and  agricultural  interests  of  the  State,  nothing  as 
yet  proposed  seems  to  have  engaged  Hie  approving  sense  of  your  Honor- 
able Body,  while  the  evil  increases  with  each  returning  tlood  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. The  several  topographical  and  hydrographic  examinations,  now 
perfected,  and  upon  which  proprosed  improvements,  with  estimates,  have 
been  reported  to  your  Honorable  Body,  are 

1st.  Act  No.  GO,  9th  March,  1S58,  directing  survey  and  report  by  late 
State  Engineer,  Col.  Hebert,  upon  the  practicability  of  turning  Red 
River  into  the  Mississippi,  by  the  Cut-off  Bayou. 

2d.  Act  No.  262,  17th  March,  1859,  appropriating  35,000  dollars  for 


? 

survey  and  reports  as  to  the  best  means  of  preserving  navigation  to  the 
Red,  by  way  of  Old  River. 

3d.  Act  No.  29,  17th  February,  18G0,  directing  examination  and  report 
for  constructing  dam  across  Old  River,  separating  the  Red  from  the  At- 
chafalaya  River. 

4th.  Act  No.  30,  of  same  date,  requiring  examination  and  report  upon 
result*  from  partially  closing  Atchafalaya. 

Under  the  authority  and  direction  of  the  above  several  acts,  the  State 
Engineer  and  the  Board  of  Public  Works  have,  at  different  times,  sub- 
mitted to  your  Honorable  Body,  the  result  of  all  the  investigations  speci- 
fied in  them,  and  the  Board  take  the  occasion  again  respectfully  to  invite 
the  attention  of  the  Legislature  to  the  adoption  of  one  or  other  of  the 
propositions  recommended  under  the  first  act. 

We  have  first,  the  repoit  of  the  late  State  Engineer,  dated  February  7, 
1859,  quoted  by  the  late  Chief  Engineer  in  his  late  report,  condemns  the 
plan  of  the  Red  River  and  Mississippi  connection  by  the  Bayou  Cut-oil',  as 
extremely  costly  and  impracticable. 

Second.  Under  the  second  act  passed,  (No.  262,  of  1859)  we  have  the 
report  of  the  same  officer,  accompanying  which  are  given  elaborate  ex- 
aminations. 

Measurements  and  levels,  resulting  in  a  preference  by  that  officer,  "  of 
closure  of  Atchafalaya"  near  Simmesport,  thereby  forcing  Red  River  to  the 
Mississippi,  and  restoring  navigable  supply  of  water  to  the  Atchafalaya  by 
the  improvement  of  the  Latanache  Bayou.  This  improvement  was  not  es- 
timated for  by  the  late  State  Engineer,  in  his  report,  dated  March,  I860, 
but  has  been  estimated  by  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Board,  as  costing, 
when  finished,  two  millions  sixty-four  thousand  dollars  ;  and,  thirdly,  we 
have,  under  acts  Nos.  29  and  30,  of  April  17,  1800,  directing  examina- 
tions for  constructing  a  dam  across  Old  River,  with  the  necessary  chan- 
nels, first  one,  for  out-let  to  Red  River,  and  the  other  as  inlet  to  the  At- 
chafalaya, estimated  by  the  late  Chief  Engineer,  J.  K.  Duncan,  at  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-six  thousand  dollars,  ($990,000)  exclusive  of  the  ne- 
cessary increase  of  hightto  levees  on  both  banks  of  the  Mississippi. 

Your  Honorable  Body  will  perceive  that  both  of  these  propositions  pro- 
vide for  improvements  upon  the  largest  possible  scale,  calculated  for  a  con- 
dition of  the  highest  water  stages,  while  the  present  Board  are  of  opinion 
that  improvements  for  a  condition  of  low-water  will  be  found  to  answer  al\ 
requirements. 

Their  present  proposition,  therefore,  has  reference  to  the  preservation  of 
low-water  navigation  of  the  Red  River,  by  the  upper  Old  River,  restoring 
a  navigable  supply  of  water  to  the  Atchafalaya,  by  the  way  of  lower  Old 
River.  To  this  end  the  Board  propose  to  construct  a  dam  at  the  points 
marked  1.  f.   upon  the  accompanying  map,  immediately  below  the  old 


8 

mouth  of  Kcil  Hirer,  shutting  ofl  it-  escape  to  1 1 1 « •  Atchafalaya,  catting  .n 
short  channel  out  of  Bed  River,  From  its  npper  or  n<«rtli  bank,  immediately 
at  its  junction  with  the  Mississippi,  at  the  pointa  <;  B  apon  the  aco— 
panying  map,  and  cutting  also  an  inlet  channel  to  the  Atchafalaya  by  way 
of  lower  Old  River,  at  the  j ■■  >in t -  marked  I  J  upon  the  aooompanyiag 
map.  The  dyke,  it  made  of  earth,  ia  estimated  foe  as  follows,  via  :  Crest, 
50  (eel  wide,  average  bight  -U  feet,  length  of  dyke,  2,200  feet,  slope 
upon  each  side,  eighl  to  one,  uiv.  -  l:>. *n»o  cubic  yards,  at  "Jo  coats,  is 
1107,160. 

<  >r.  Bhould  a  pile  work  dam  be  preferred,  it  is  estimated  to 

cost,  when  properly  braced  and  riveted  upon  its  upper  side  $70. 000  00 

Improving  direction  of  outlet  of  Red  River 50,000  00 

inlet                        25,000  00 

Improvement  of  earthen  dyke 8107,160 

Outlet  and  inlet  complete 75,000 

1182,150 

For  improvement  with  pile  dam $70,000  00 

Sam.-  inlel  and  outlet 75,000   <»U 

8145,000  00 

Of  these  two  methods  of  improvement  the  Board,  alter  mature  delibera- 
tion, have  given  a   preference  to  the  pile-dam   reipiirine.  s:;7,<nm  less  than 

the  earthen  dyke,  and  heeaiise  it   is  helieved  that    after    two  or  three  seasons 

of  high  water,  it  will  so  fill  by  the  torpid  condition  of  the  water  at  that 
point,  a-  to  become  itself  an  earth  dam.  while  it  will  not  he  bo  rabject  to  be 
depressed  in  elevation  as  an  earthen  dam. 

Iii  reducing  the  first  proposition  to  establish  navigation  by  Bayou  Cut-off 
also  to  a  low-water  condition,  the  dyke  across  t]u.  \\ri\  River  below  its 
juncture  with  the  bayou  would  cost  1107,150,  the  dam  by  pile  work  would 
cost  170,000,  hut  the  cutting  out  a  channel  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Red 

River  would  COSt  at  least  the  lanje  amount  of  $100,000,  making  the  navi- 
gation by  this  route  amount  to  something  like  $.">00,000.  Besides  which 
the  improvement  would  require  a  long  time  for  its  completion,  since  the 
navigation  of  this  bayou  must  lie  perfected  before  the  dyke  could  he  thrown 
across  Red  River.    See  the  line  K.  L.  on  the  accompanying  map. 

There  i~,  therefore,  no  hesitancy  on  the  part  of  the  Hoard,  in  recommend- 
ing the  adoption  by  the  Legislature  of  the  proposition  of  improvement  by 

the  way  of  Old  River,  not  only  in  consequence  of  its   lesser  cost  to  the  Cut* 

off  Bayou  route,  hut  also  because  it  will  he  fully  as  effectual  in  restoring 
and  maintaining  navigation.  This  work  is  considered  by  the  Board  of  indis- 
pensable necessity.  And  from  the  formidable  obstruetiou  to  low-water  navi- 
gation during  the  whole  of  last  autumn,  it  is  not  too  much  to  predict  that 
unless  there  he  labor  applied  to  upper  Old  River,  so  soon   as  the  MissiBsipp 


9 

may  return  to  a  falling  stage,  the  low-water  communication  between  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Red  River  will  be  entirely  lost. 

The  Board  is  aware,  from  the  best  information,  that  the  high  stage  navi- 
gation of  the  Red  River  does  not  now  suffice  for  more  than  half,  or  at  most 
two-thirds,  of  its  commercial  and  agricultural  necessities ;  there  must  besides 
be  a  low-water  navigation  which,* even  with  the  addition  of  Railroad  trans- 
portation now  being  perfected,  will  not  more  than  transport  the  daily  increas- 
ing crops  of  the  vast  country  finding  outlet  only  by  the  Red  River,  viz  : 
Eastern  Texas,  Western  Arkansas,  with  the  Red  River,  Ouachita  and  Boeuf 
River  valleys. 

The  number  of  bales  of  cotton  now  annually  passing  out  of  the  Red  River 
is  estimated  at  not  less  than  600,000,  having  increased  over  100,000  bales 
in  the  last  three  years. 

The  Board  have  suggested  that  in  their  opinion  the  transportation  facili- 
ties, both  by  water  and  by  Railroad,  (the  latter  being  as  yet  only  prospec- 
tive) would  not  more  than  suffice  for  the  trade  of  the  vast  country  embraced. 
But  no  one  who  will  institute  an  inquiry  can  arrive  at  any  other  conclusion 
than,  that  the  water  transportation  in  the  case  under  consideration,  is  by  far  su- 
perior to  the  land.  But  it  is  not  only  as  an  outlet  to  agricultural  products,  that 
the  navigation  of  the  Red  River  is  an  indispensable  necessity,  it  is  so  also  with 
reference  to  the  returning  freights,  distributing  as  they  do  necessaries  to 
comfort  and  even  subsistence  itself. 

We  present  to  you  an  extract  from  the  report  of  J.  K.  Duncan,  late  Chief 
Engineer,  to  show  the  condition  of  the  mouth  of  Old  River,  during  the 
summer  and  fall  months.     On  page  27,  he  says  : 

"  The  great  difficulties  in  the  navigation  of  Old  River  during  low-water, 
arise  principally  from  the  bar  at  its  immediate  mouth,  and  the  many  in- 
creasing shoals  around  and  below  the  islands  in  the  wider  part  of  the 
channel.  These  latter  shoals  are  getting  more  and  more  numerous  every 
year.  The  bar  at  the  mouth  is  composed  of  very  light  and  shifting  alluvial 
deposit,  which  is  constantly  changing  its  position  under  the  influence  of  the 
currents,  but  more  especially  under  that  of  the  eddies  already  mentioned. 

In  July  last  these. changes  were  so  rapid  that  a  boat  in  passing  over  the 
bar  on  her  up  trip,  was  almost  sure  to  run  aground  on  taking  the  same 
channel  on  her  return.  The  Anna  Ferret,  drawing  five  feet,  grounded  in 
going  up  on  the  19th  of  July,  on  attempting  the  saihe  channel  which  she 
had  safely  taken  a  few  days  before  in  coming  down.  After  lying  some 
twelve  hours  the  soundings  on  her  port  side  gave  only  one  foot  in  depth, 
from  stem  to  stern.  The  light  sands  constituting  the  bar  having  drifted 
around  her  to  that  depth,  in  this  short  space  of  time.  On  the  12th  of 
August,  the  mouth  was  entirely  closed  to  the  passage  of  the  Catahoula,  at 
which  time  there  were  from  eighteen  to  twenty  inches  of  water  upon  the 
bar.     It  was  subsequently  reported  to  have  fallen  still  lower. 

2pw 


10 

On  tin-  '_,sth  of  September,  shortly  after  wne  of  the  small  class  Btseinerj 
had  ploughed  lu-r  way  through  the  bar,  there  w;i.i  obtained  by  accurate 
measurements  t li «-  following  resuRfl : 

Aetna]  width  of  water  ohannel 170  feet. 

Average  depth  of  channel 2*959  feet. 

Sectional  water  area  about 50M  square  feet. 

Hence,  you  will  perceive,  thai  navigation  in  Old  River  can  only  be  pre- 
•  1  by  aid  from  the  State." 

It  is  also  proper  here  to  address  to  your  honorable  1">Jy  Bome  remarks  on 
the  removal  of  r^ek  obstructions  at  Alexandria,  Red  River.  From  Buch 
information  as  the  Board  of  Public  Worki  have  been  enabled  to  collect,  it 
appears  thai  a  portion  <>r  the  blasting  and  removal  of  obstructions  has  been 
effected,  but  that  the  navigation  may  still  be  improved  by  appropriating  an 
unexpended  balance  of  the  funds  applied  to  that  work  by  act  No.  152,  of 
ls"'T,  which  balance,  amounting    to  811.350,  has  been   refunded  to  the 

treasury,  in  compliance  with  act  211,  of  1800,  and  which  is  borne  Upon  the 
books  of  the  Auditor.  Shall  this  balance  be  reappropriated?  The  Board  is 
of  opinion  that  it  should,  and  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  the  worx 
should  he  perfected,  and  recommend  the  re-appropriation  or  the  above  said 

balance,  with  the  purjiose  of  carrying  on  the  work  with  as  little  COSt  a-  poS- 
Blble   and  new  contracts  lor  the  completion  of  the  work*,  or,  at  least,  so  much 

of  it  as  may  exhaust  the  funds  originally  appropriated. 

Another  item  to  which  the  Board  would  invite  the  attention  df  ybur 

honorable  body,  i-  that  of  §25,000  for  a  Dredge  Boat.  There  is  none  in  the 
service  of  the  State;  one  such  is  absolutely  necessary.  There  has  hoi  been 
a  season  of  low  water  in  Red,  <  hiachita,  or  Boeuf  Rivers  when  the  Bervtoes 
ofsuei  a  boat  would  not  have  been  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  navigation. 
And  it  is  believed  that  the  use  of  a  dredge  boat  in  preserving  the  communi- 
cation between  the  Red  ami  Mississippi  Rivers,  cannot  be  dispensed  with 
until  some  permanent  improvement  be  adopted  and  completed.  The  Hoard 
urgently  recommend  also,  the  re-appropriation  of  831,884  08,  appropriated 
by  act  202,  "f  1852,  to  preserve  navigation  through  Old  River — this 
amount  being  about  to  revert  to  the  Treasury  by  constitutional  limitation. 

In  the  above  report  no  recommendations  are  made  for  special  works  in 
the  First  District  There  exists  now,  under  several  acts  the  following 
moneys  to  the  credit  of  the  District)  viz: 

Act  171,  of  1859,  t"  cany  into  effect  the  provisions  of  joint  reso- 
lution 289,  of  1858,  for  surveys  of  BayoUS  Paul  and  Fountain, 

in  the  parish  of  Bast  Baton  Rouge 80,000  00 

Act  173,  of  1*5(.»,  for  levee  purposes  in  the  parish  of  Jefferson —  1,403  45 
Act  199,  of  1859,  to  reclaim  lands  in  the  parish  of  St.  John   Bap- 
tist   7,000  00 

Aet  203,  of  1859,  to  reelaim  swam],  land  in  the  First  District 403  66 

Act  204,  of  1859,  to  reclaim  swamp  land  in  the  parish  of  Plaque- 
mines, First  District 1,911  08 


11 

It  is  seen  that  all  of  these  balances  of  appropriations  shall  expire  in  May 
next,  by  constitutional  limitation.  The  Board,  so  far  as  the  First  District  is 
concerned,  make  no  particular  recommendation  of  special  works.  They  are 
of  opinion  that,  for  the  present,  the  funds  of  the  First  District  should  be 
applied  to  the  maintenance  of  the  Mississippi  levees,  and  works  of  closing 
crevasses  when  occurring  in  said  levees,  and  in  repairing  such  levees  in  the 
District  as  have  been  built  by  the  State. 

The  Board  has  not  now  the  data  necessary  to  make  an  accurate  estimate, 
but  would  recommend  liberality  on  the  part  of  your  honorable  bodies,  es- 
pecially as  the  district  will  be  entirely  destitute  of  funds  in  May,  unless 
new  appropriations  are  made. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

(Signed,)  LEWIS  G.  DeRUSSY, 

LOUIS  HEBERT, 
ROBT.  J.  CALDWELL, 
J.  Q.  RICHARDSON, 

Secretary  Board  of  Public  Works. 

Baton  Roioe,  February  21st,  1861. 


J 


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